Here is today’s Bible reading: Exodus 29:1-30:10; Matthew 26:14-46; Psalm 31:19-24; Proverbs 8:14-26.
Matthew 26:40-41 (NIV)
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. [41] “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
If there was ever a well-intentioned, sleeping disciple it is me. My head is about to burst with knowledge about prayer, yet I find it so hard to pray. Too often I would rather read a book about prayer than actually pray. Why? Because prayer is warfare and warfare is violent, hard work. Left to ourselves, we will take the path of ease and least resistance which does not include prayer. But fortunately, we are not left to ourselves. Jesus not only modeled warfare prayer for us in the Garden of Gethsemane, but He empowers us to follow in His footsteps today. Jesus, make me the prayer warrior you intend me to be.
Like the Apostle Paul, I want more than anything to know Christ (Phil. 3:10). I do not want to simply know about Him. I want to know Him-- personally, intimately, and experientially. It is not enough for me to hear about Him. I want to see Him with my own eyes.
With My Own Eyes 
Lori Lincoln
February 10, 2012 at 12:17 am
I like that you use the word “violent” in your description. When we are being guided by the Holy Spirit to engage in warfare, and we “obey” by doing so, even if there is not a drop of blood anywhere, it feels bloody. We can feel beaten to a pulp when the dust settles. Our guts may even feel ripped out. But because we go into it with right thinking “The results are left in the Lords hands” we come out with more confidence than before we went in …
Joanne Walker
February 10, 2012 at 4:58 am
Woke up this morning with this song going through my head, “Living he loved me, dying he saved me; buried he carried my sins far away; rising he justified freely forever; one day he is coming, O glorious day!” After reading this Exodus portion of scripture so glad He did!